


For the Better

by glue_factory



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, It's sweet, Romance, don't forget to like comment and subscribe, it's chef's kiss, it's cute, it's my first multi chapter in years, so please be kind, stay safe and wear a mask
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:11:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26280151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glue_factory/pseuds/glue_factory
Summary: And it all rushes over him. The pain. The memories. The love.
Relationships: Beck Oliver/Jade West
Comments: 10
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, this is technically the prologue.  
> two (2) things before we get started.  
> 1\. chapters are short and already written for my own sanity.  
> 2\. i only listened to ctrl by sza while writing this, so if it's weird, that's why.

She’s been acting differently. Recently, she seems a bit nervous and on edge, and when he asks her about it, she brushes it off and acts like it’s nothing. He can’t quite put his finger on it. She’s been distant, but she gets like that sometimes. During those times, he would brush it aside since it didn’t last long. Maybe a day or two. Never longer. 

There’s something strange about this distance. She smiles anxiously whenever they talk to one another. She tells him only a portion of the whole story when describing something. She lies so obviously to him. He doesn’t know why she does this. He knows her so well. He knows when she isn’t being truthful and when she’s hiding stuff from him just by looking at her. 

They’ve known each other for so long. They’ve been together for so long. He doesn’t see the reason for her acting this way. He’s been nothing but open and honest with her, and he simply wants the same from her. 

He hardly sees her anymore. On some nights, he comes home after a long day on set to find a note on the fridge saying that she’s not going to be home until late, and by the time he wakes up the next morning, she’s leaving again without a word. And when he asks her where she’s going, she either ignores him, gives him a generic answer, or becomes annoyed with his persistence. 

Whatever they’re going through, he’s ready to move past it. And hopefully sooner rather than later. 

He gets home earlier than he usually does, tossing his keys on the table close to the front door. The atmosphere is weird. Well, weirder than it has been for the past few weeks. 

She’s home before he is which surprises him, and she’s probably about the break the skin on her bottom lip by the way she’s biting down on it. Her leg bounces up and down uncontrollably. Her blue eyes fixed on a certain spot on the wall. Her hands tightly clasped together in her lap. 

Beck clears his throat, catching her attention, and the expression on her face terrifies him. It’s fear. He’s never seen her this scared yet this sad at the same time before. 

“Hey,” he greets softly and carefully sits down next to her on the couch, facing her. 

“Hey,” Jade mumbles, darting her eyes away from his. She stares at the wall behind him before dropping her gaze to her hands in her lap. 

He’s worried. He doesn’t know what’s wrong because her face is so hard to read. And when she finally looks up at him with tears in her eyes, his stomach drops. His chest tightens. His breath quickens. 

“Can we talk?” she asks, her bottom lip quivering. Tears roll down her cheeks, her attempts to restrain them unsuccessful. 

Beck nods quickly, instinctively reaching up to wipe the tears off her face with the pads of his thumbs. “Yeah, yeah.” 

“I...” she trails off and pauses, grabbing his wrists and moving his hands away from her face. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She looks at him sadly and says, “I think we should break up.” 

He’s stunned into silence. He’s never expected her to say this and definitely not now. And sure, they’ve broken up a few times before, but there’s something about her voice that tells him that this one won’t be like their usual temporary breakups. “Wh-What? Why?” he manages to choke out as he feels his eyes stinging. 

“I-I feel like my whole life revolves around you. Our lives are so interconnected, Beck. I don’t even know who I am without you. I don’t know what it’s like to not be with you, and I want to know,” she explains and sniffles, wiping her wet cheeks with the backs of her hands. 

Beck stares down at his lap as his vision becomes clouded by tears. He doesn’t know how to feel. He likes being with her. He loves her. He doesn’t know what life is like without her, but that’s the point she’s getting at. But he never anticipated this. It feels like his whole world is crumbling down. Like his heart is being ripped out of his chest and crushed. An indescribable pain. 

“I think it’ll be better for the both of us. We need to grow by ourselves. We need to know what it’s like to be single. We shouldn’t have to hold back. We shouldn’t keep ourselves from something that we really want,” Jade finishes and sniffles one last time, and Beck meets her eyes again. Her skin is dry, but her face tells a different story. 

He wants her, but this is what she wants. And although he wishes to grow with her, he doesn’t want to hinder her. 

So, this is the end. Eight years together down the drain. All washed away. Gone.

“Are you okay?” she asks, concerned, her eyes still glossed over. 

Despite being hurt, he nods swiftly and wipes his face with his sleeve. He tries to smile at her to reassure her, but the corners of his mouth cannot turn upwards. The muscles in his face won’t allow it. 

She takes his hands into hers and soothingly squeezes them for the final time before letting out a heavy breath. “Goodbye, Beck.”

Jade gets up, gives him one more sad look, and leaves. 

And that’s the last time he sees her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i plan to upload new chapters on fridays, but school starts back soon, meaning that i might forget. if i do, please remind me on either twitter or tumblr (both jadewestsaves).  
> thank you!! :))


	2. Chapter 2

He sees her a lot. But never physically. He sees her on his TV. In movie trailers. In interviews. On his social media feed. On billboards when he drives around the city. On the magazine stand beside the cashier at the drugstore. Basically, everywhere at this point.

And whenever it feels like he’s forgotten the sound of her voice, the smell of her hair, or the softness of her skin, she comes on his TV by chance or she’s staring at him on his way to the grocery store, and a wave of memories rushes over him. A wave of emotions. A wave of pain. 

He’s tried to distance himself from her, but he just can’t seem to escape her. No matter how hard he tries. He purposely avoids her. He changes the channel when a trailer of her appears. He only hangs out with his friends when he knows she won’t be there. He takes a different route to his destination on some days. 

Yet, despite his attempts, he can’t help but watch her. He keeps coming back to her. It fascinates him how much she’s changed since he last saw her that particular day. How much she looks like her mother probably to her disdain. How intelligent she sounds when she speaks. How she no longer dresses in dark colors. How she doesn’t dye her hair black anymore. How she’s doing so much better without him. But he’s proud of her. 

And he, he would like to believe he’s changed and moved on. He quickly climbed the social ladder of Hollywood thanks to a casting director who saw his potential. After a couple of unsuccessful short relationships, he’s now Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor, a title he never thought he’d have. He moved into a condo. He has money and fame, but he feels like he’s missing something. He feels incomplete. 

He wonders what she's up to aside from what’s published online. He still invites her to his movie premieres even though he’s never the main character and she never attends. He’s hopeful though. More than anything, he hopes she’s happy. He wants her to be happy. 

Beck mindlessly flicks through the channels on his TV before turning it off and placing the remote on the couch. He leans his head back and closes his eyes to get his mind off her. 

It’s not as bad as it was immediately after they broke up. He doesn’t see her face whenever he closes his eyes. He doesn’t think that she’ll be there when he opens them. His heart doesn’t ache anymore. He no longer craves her affection. He feels like his normal self again. As normal as he can feel. For the first time. 

His phone vibrates loudly, interrupting his peace. He doesn’t even bother to check who it is. He accepts the call and lazily places the phone to his ear. 

“Hello,” he answers plainly, uninterested.

“Hey, Beck.” It’s Andre. He remembers the last time he saw his friend. They were in the studio. Andre played him a fragment of a song, and they got lunch afterward. That was months ago though.

“Andre, how’s it going?” Beck asks with slight enthusiasm, opening his eyes and sitting up. 

“It’s going great. What about you?” Andre replies, and Beck can practically hear the smile on his face. He likes that about Andre. He always feels special when he speaks to him. 

“Same old, same old,” Beck says nonchalantly, returning a small smile and picking the lint off his sweatpants. 

“Listen, I’m having a little party for when my album comes out. You wanna come?” his friend asks. 

Beck groans to himself and drags a hand down his face in discontent. He doesn’t want to, but he can’t say that. “Uh, when is it?” 

“In three weeks. The twenty-seventh,” Andre responds quickly, his voice hopeful. “I’d love it if you came.” 

That’s a Friday. He doesn’t have anything going on besides a meeting, and he should support his friend despite not wanting to be social. And Andre’s tone makes him feel guilty about rejecting his past few offers, so he accepts the invitation, “Yeah, I’ll be there.” 

“Cool, see you then,” Andre says cheerfully, his smile returning. 

They bid their farewells, and Beck hangs up, tossing his phone back on the couch and trying to get back to the place he was in before he received the call. 

* * *

Three weeks go by quickly, and he’s running late to Andre’s party. Nearly by an hour. And it’s not entirely his fault. His meeting with his manager lasted longer than it was supposed to, and traffic, of course, was terrible. 

He contemplated calling and saying he couldn’t make it, but he already sent a text telling Andre that he’d be there soon. He doesn’t want to be a terrible friend. It’s Andre’s first album after all. He can’t miss it. 

Beck parks down the street from Andre’s house and swiftly walks the rest of the way. It’s dark, and the street is packed with cars. He knows he’s the last one to arrive. 

He rings the doorbell and waits for Andre to open it with a huge grin on his face. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Beck apologizes, but Andre ignores it and pulls him into a quick embrace. 

“No worries. I’m glad you could make it, man,” Andre brushes off and ushers Beck inside.

Once they’re in his living room, Beck’s suspicion is confirmed. Everyone is already here and waiting for him. His friends from high school. A few people that he can only assume are Andre’s other friends. Jade. 

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” the guy next to her rudely interrupts the conversation, earning her elbow in his rib and her harsh glare. 

She slowly brings her gaze to Beck’s, locking eyes with him. It’s magnetic. Electric. Like he’s being drawn to her, but he’s filled with something he can’t describe. Everything comes rushing back to him. The love. The pain. He can’t stand being here for another second. and when that guy’s tattooed arm places itself on her shoulders, a new feeling replaces the old one. A feeling he’s more familiar with. A feeling he claims he hasn’t felt in forever but feels every now and then. 

Andre clears his throat as Beck slowly takes a seat next to Tori. “Okay. So, now that Beck is here, we can get started,” Andre announces, clapping his hands together and sitting behind his laptop. 

Beck can’t even get seated properly before Tori throws her arms around his neck, startling him. he awkwardly reciprocates it, patting her back in hopes that she’ll let go soon.

“Beck! It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever. How are things?” Tori asks excitedly and pulls away. Her smile is wide. Her cheekbones are still perfect. Her brown eyes gleam. 

Beck runs his fingers through his short hair. He sticks to his usual response, “Things are fine. I—”

“I heard you’re starring in that new movie, and I just wanna say congrat—”

“Hey, Tori,” Jade cuts in. 

“Yeah?” Tori says, raising her eyebrows and turning her attention to Jade. 

“Shut up,” Jade orders harshly. Her voice is oddly familiar. It reminds him of when they were in high school and she would chase off anyone who tried to flirt with him. Maybe it’s what his ears want him to hear. 

After an annoyed huff, Tori buttons her lips together and frowns, crossing her arms over her chest, and when Beck glances at Jade, she quickly diverts her gaze to the guy sitting next to her. 

It’s uncomfortably silent for a moment until Andre’s album starts playing, and smooth R&B hangs in the air. 

And although he’s supposed to listening to the soulful tunes emitting from the speakers, he can’t help but stare at the arm around her shoulders and wish that it was his arm. That she was next to him. That she was resting her head on his shoulder. 

He quits staring and focuses on the music, barely swaying his head to the soft beat. Listening to the lyrics. Distracting himself. The sight of Andre slightly dancing to his music brings a smile to his face. The sound of Cat and Robbie trying to sing along but failing mostly on Robbie’s behalf. The feeling of Tori nudging his arm to get him to visibly express his enjoyment of the music more. Only momentarily. 

The album concludes, and everyone gives Andre their praises. It’s fantastic, but everything Andre creates is magnificent. He’s great at what he does. and at this point, Beck takes the opportunity to lock himself in Andre’s guest bathroom. 

It’s overwhelming. It’s too much. The pain in his chest and his head. He really wants to leave. To go home. To go anywhere else. He doubts anyone would notice. He’s hardly said a word to anyone besides Tori and Andre since he arrived. 

He splashes cool water on his face and takes one last glance at himself in the mirror. He looks tired. Probably from his stressful day. Probably from the relaxing music. 

He leaves the bathroom, carefully creeping towards the front door to not draw attention to himself. Luckily, he goes by unnoticed. His friends and the others too engrossed in their conversations. 

He twists the knob, and that’s when he hears her. 

“Leaving so soon?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! i really hope you're enjoying it so far. please tell me what you think. i don't know. i like reading comments. :))


	3. Chapter 3

“Leaving so soon?” 

Beck freezes at the sound of her voice. It’s warm and comforting. It’s sweet like honey. It reminds him of better days. When he used to spend time with his friends. When he was the last one to leave a party. When he used to feel like himself. 

He slowly turns on his heel to face the short brunette. He swallows and says uneasily, “Hey, Cat.” 

“Why are you leaving? You just got here. We didn’t even talk,” Cat whines, knitting her eyebrows together and pouting slightly. 

The guilt comes back again. He hates doing this to friends, but this is all too much. Jade. The guy. Beck couldn’t even enjoy the album as much he would’ve liked to because of the tense atmosphere. But he lies to protect his friend’s feelings. “I have somewhere to be tomorrow.”

“On a Saturday?” she asks suspiciously, cocking an eyebrow and tilting her head to the side. 

He didn’t even consider that. He’s not doing anything important until he starts filming next month. Sure, he’ll be preparing himself and packing his suitcase, but he’s not doing that anytime soon. He lets out an exasperated sigh, “Cat—”

“Is it Fletcher?” she cuts off his sigh. 

“Who?” he answers and furrows his brow. 

“Fletcher, the guy sitting next to Jade,” she explains and drops her gaze to her feet. She mumbles after an exhale, “Her boyfriend.” 

He assumed that as soon as he arrived but hearing it from Cat’s mouth makes it hurt worse. He knew she would eventually move on, but he didn’t think he’d ever meet the person. Or see them together in the flesh. Or have to hear about it from Cat. 

Beck shoves his hands in his front pockets and shrugs, trying to keep his cool. “What about him?” 

Cat meets his eyes and leans in closer, and in a low and serious tone, she asks, “Are you leaving because of him?” 

“What? No,” he replies quickly, exaggeratedly shaking his head. That’s partially true. He does feel uncomfortable being here, but he’s also exhausted. He wants to be in his condo alone with his eyes closed, trying to clear his head. 

“So, you’re cool with it?” she asks for confirmation, returning to her normal volume. 

“Yeah, we broke up three years ago,” he explains calmly through a tight smile, but he’s frustrated. He’s tired of all these questions. Maybe she’ll take the hint that he’s ready to leave. 

“Okay, well, have a safe drive,” she chirps and beams widely, turning back into the living room. 

Raking his fingers through his hair, Beck sighs and walks out the door. He fishes his keys out of his pocket, heads back his car, and drives back to his condo. 

But all he can think about is the look on Jade’s face. How their eyes locked, and all the memories came flooding back. How she smiled whenever her boyfriend whispered something to her. How he used to do that to her. How she snapped at Tori with that familiar slightly jealous tone. How he’s probably not as over her as he thought he was.

Soon enough, he’s unlocking his front door and kicking off his sneakers next to the door. He trudges into his bedroom before lying down on his bed and closing his eyes. 

Well, at least she looked happy, and that’s all he wanted to her be. 

* * *

It doesn’t surprise him when Andre’s album is positively received, but he’s happy for him regardless. 

Now he’s getting back accustomed to early call times and late nights. Being on set all day. Reshooting scenes to the director’s content. Finding his way around an unfamiliar city. Luckily, they’re filming not too far from his grandparents’ house, so he visits them every now and then. Whenever he isn’t needed on set. Whenever he can. 

Besides, being on set all day distracts him, and the tabloids’ stories about the budding romance between him and his co-star give him some sort of entertainment. It’s funny to him. When they first met, she couldn’t stand him, but the casting director was convinced that they had excellent chemistry and forced them to become best friends. Only temporarily. 

So, they hang out a lot. They get dinner together some nights. They explore the city together when they have a day off. That’s what might’ve set off the tabloids’ suspicion, so they play into it. They walk like they’re glued together. They buy each other coffee. If they’re feeling daring, they hold hands. Platonically. As friends. Nothing more.

He gets back to his hotel room after another long day. He takes off his jacket and is just about to dig into the take-out he got when his phone vibrates in his pocket.

Tugging it out and accepting the call, Beck sits down and answers, “Hello.” 

“Beck!” Cat shouts so loud that he has to pull the phone away from his face, wincing.

Once she’s done, he places it between his ear and his shoulder and takes the lid off the container of food. “Yes, Cat?” he responds softly. 

“I’m throwing a surprise party for Robbie, and you’re coming,” she states, giving him no room to reject the invitation. Robbie’s birthday is less than two weeks from now. Beck doubts he can make it. 

“We’re in the middle of filming,” he explains and shoves a fork full of vegetables in his mouth. 

“Won’t you be done by then?” Cat asks with a groan, her voice slightly whiny. 

“No,” Beck replies simply after swallowing. They might be a little bit ahead of schedule, but he expects to be here another month and a half. 

“Well, can’t you pull some strings? I haven’t seen you in forever,” she pleads. 

“You saw me two months ago,” he corrects and takes another bite. He doesn’t think it’s been _that_ long, but they didn’t talk much. That’s something he does regret. Leaving. Not talking to anyone. Offering no reason for his departure. 

“I know, but,” she pauses and takes a deep breath, “I miss you.” 

He puts his fork down. And well, he misses her too. He misses all of his friends a lot. This might be the only time in a while that he’ll see all of them together. 

“I miss you too, Cat,” Beck sighs, and he means it like he always does. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise I’ll be there for long.”

“Yay!” Cat cheers, and Beck smiles to himself and resumes eating. 

She rambles on, and he can barely follow. She blathers on about her job as a costume designer. Their friends. The plans for Robbie’s surprise party. How she hopes he’ll stay as long as he can. 

And he’ll try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow. it's halfway done. it picks up, i promise. :))


	4. Chapter 4

His driver parks in front of the restaurant where Cat said to meet, and he thanks him before going inside and following the hostess into a small room in the back. 

He isn’t the last one to show up this time. He’s on time for once, and all eyes are on him. Even Robbie’s which is a little weird. This is supposed to be Robbie’s surprise party. He should be arriving before his friend. Not after. He should be surprising his friend. Not the other way around. But he decides not to question it in front of him. 

“Uh, happy birthday, Rob,” Beck smiles awkwardly and pats his friend’s shoulder before taking a seat at the table.

“Thank you,” Robbie replies with a grin. 

Still confused about the situation, Beck leans over to Tori and whispers, “I thought this was a surprise party.” 

“Me too,” Tori whispers back and shrugs. 

In a quiet tone, Andre joins their conversation, “Yeah, I think he doesn’t—”

Cat shushes them, putting her index finger over her mouth and sitting down across from Beck. “So, is it true?” she asks him, wiggling her eyebrows. 

And right when he opens his mouth, Jade walks through the door. His eyes follow her as she makes her way to her seat without a greeting and without looking up from her phone. It’s unlike her to not make some sort of entrance, and by looking at her, he can tell that she’s livid.

Beck focuses on Cat and her question again. Flustered, he clears his throat. “Is what true?” 

“You and Emily?” Cat clarifies and smiles wider. More mischievous. “Are you guys dating?” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Jade freeze. And he’s seen the headlines. He’s seen what the tabloids have been saying about him and his co-star. They’re apparently the new Hollywood couple despite not even dating and her having a girlfriend. It was funny at first, but now he’s grown tired of it. 

“No. No, we’re not,” Beck answers and shakes his head, seeing Jade go back to typing on her phone. 

“Tori, Robbie, I accept cash, check, and wire transfers,” Cat says with a smirk, glancing at them respectively. 

“Did you guys bet on my relationship status with my co-star?” he asks in bewilderment, knitting his eyebrows together. 

“I told them not to,” Andre quickly defends. 

Tori sighs in discontent and tries to explain, “Well, we—”

“So, are we gonna eat or not?” Jade interrupts harshly, not even glancing away from her phone. 

“What’s the rush?” Andre brings up. 

“I have something to deal with,” Jade answers through gritted teeth and breaks her gaze with her phone to glare at him. 

“C’mon, you really couldn’t have cleared your busy schedule for one night?” Tori questions, looking around the room for someone to agree with her, and when her eyes land on him, Beck knows he’s getting dragged into this. 

“No,” Jade returns, smiling sarcastically. 

Cat opens her mouth to say something, but Tori cuts in. 

“But Beck did,” Tori points out in an irritated tone and gestures towards him. “He’s supposed to be in Canada right now, but he’s here to celebrate our friend’s birthday.” 

“I’m not Beck. Besides, this isn’t even a surprise party because Robbie’s already here,” Jade responds.

“Wait, this is a party for me?” Robbie speaks up, surprised, but he’s ignored. Talked over. Forgotten. 

All of this makes Beck’s head hurt. This isn’t what he expected when he thought of all of them being in a room together, but to be honest, he isn’t shocked. He wonders if this would’ve happened if he actually stayed at the last event. If this is what his friends felt like when they would fight in front of them. If he’ll ever experience that rush, that embarrassment again from causing a scene instead of being a witness to one. 

He meets Andre’s eyes, and his friend looks just as uncomfortable as he feels. He flicks his glance to his other friends, and Robbie looks mortified but shocked. And Cat appears disappointed. 

“You can at least be considerate,” Tori spits, her voice condescending. 

“When have you ever known me to be considerate?” Jade asks, raising her eyebrows in defiance. 

“When you weren’t dating an asshole,” Tori replies bluntly. 

“You know what, Tori? Fuck you!” Jade yells and stands up, throwing her napkin on the table. 

“What? I’m just being honest,” Tori says mockingly. 

“Guys, that’s enough! We are here to celebrate Robbie’s birthday. Can we not fight for one night?” Cat shouts, and the room falls silent. She clears her throat and glares at Tori and then at Jade. “Tori, sometimes your honesty isn’t warranted. Jade, there is no need to be rude, so sit your ass back down. No one is leaving any time soon, except Beck who has to catch a flight. We will sit here and enjoy each other’s company. Is that clear?” 

Everyone nods, and Jade sits back down, rolling her eyes and picking up her phone. 

The air is tense and awkward. No one speaks up while Cat flags down their server and while their orders are taken. 

Then Robbie clears his throat and thanks everyone for coming before going on about how he would like each of them should attend one of his shows on his stand-up comedy tour. And Andre joins him, talking enthusiastically about his upcoming tour. Eventually, they’re all conversing about their current endeavors. Their past ventures. And their future plans. All of them except for Jade who sits there, staring at her phone and pounding furiously. 

Before the server can even bring the cake out, she suddenly gets up and leaves without a word. 

* * *

It’s almost a year later, and he’s seen them a few times since. Not all together though. He and Tori managed to see one of Robbie’s shows at the last minute. He, Cat, and Robbie went to Andre’s first concert on the first leg of his tour. And a few other events with only one or two of his friends. Not with everyone. Yet somehow, he’s convinced all of them attend his movie premiere. All of them except for Jade. 

He walks the red carpet, answers interview questions, converses with his cast and crew members before the film starts. And while he watches it, he can’t help but criticize his performance. He could’ve delivered that line better. He could’ve not made that face. He could’ve not moved awkwardly during some scenes. He definitely won’t watch this again. 

When the film concludes, everyone praises him at the after-party. They tell him how much they enjoyed it and his performance as the main character. And his friends compliment him profusely. 

Robbie rambles on and on to Cat about one particular scene where he claims Beck looks incredible. Tori and Andre congratulate him before leaving him to chat with the other celebrities that are present. 

Beck finds himself growing bored with Robbie and Cat’s conversation. “I’m going to get something to drink. “Do you guys want anything?” he asks them, taking his hands out of his pockets. 

“No,” they answer in unison and go back to discussing the movie like they were never interrupted. 

He heads over to the bar, orders a whiskey neat, and thanks the bartender. Resting his elbows on the counter and wishing he was anywhere else, he takes a slow sip. 

“Hey.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Hey.” 

It’s a voice he hasn’t heard in a while. A voice he misses. It’s not her usual tone but a softer tone. One she only used around him. It’s melodic. Tender. Pleasing. It’s like music to his hears. Like a song that brings back memories of his youth. Like a tune that can never escape his head. 

“Hey,” Beck breathes and looks down at the glass of brown liquid in his hand. 

Silence falls between them, and he takes another sip. It’s the first time she’s spoken to him without the presence of their friends in years. He doesn’t know what to do. What to say.

“The movie was pretty good,” Jade speaks up quietly. 

He meets her blue eyes, and a warm feeling washes over him. And well, she’s absolutely stunning. Her hair is shorter and darker than the last time he’s seen her. Her black dress hugs her perfectly. Her face is still gorgeous. It feels like nothing has changed. But at the same time, everything is different. 

“You think so?” Beck smiles slightly and straightens his posture. 

“Well, it wasn’t my favorite,” Jade starts and glances elsewhere before flicking her gaze back to him with a small smile on her face, “but it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve seen.” 

That smile makes his heart skip a beat and swell. Running his fingers through his hair, he laughs softly, “I appreciate your honesty.” 

And it’s quiet again for a moment until she blows and says, “Can I ask you something?” 

He nods and downs the small amount of whiskey he has left. 

“Why’d you invite me?” she asks, drawing her eyebrows together. 

He freezes. That’s what he’s always done. He didn’t feel the need to adjust things, and he didn’t think she would show anyway. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, we’re not even friends. We don’t talk. We don’t hang out,” she explains and takes a heavy sigh. “Hell, we haven’t even spoken to each other since we broke up, but you keep inviting me to these things. Why?”

“Uh, I don’t know. Probably so you wouldn’t feel left out,” he comes up with, but it’s obvious that she doesn’t believe it. Frankly, he was hopeful that she would attend just once. “May I ask why this is the first one you decided to show up to?” 

“I—” she pauses, her eyes widening and face flushing. “Pass.” 

Smirking, Beck rolls his eyes and stops the bartender from refilling his glass. And something tells him that she didn’t just come around to see a movie. 

“Sorry for being an asshole the last time you saw me,” Jade mumbles. He can tell that she means it. It’s rare when she apologizes, but she always sincere when she does. 

“Thanks, but I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” he admits and shoves his hands in his front pockets. 

“I know,” she whispers and drops her gaze to her feet. 

Changing the subject, he asks a little too excitedly, “So, what are you up to nowadays?”

She looks back up at him, purses her lips, and hums. “I dumped that guy I was dating. I bought a house, and in three weeks, I leave to film something. You?” 

“Absolutely nothing besides PR stuff,” he shrugs. 

Jade nods, her eyes scanning the room. She brings her attention back to him and leans in closer, whispering, “Do you think anyone would notice if we left?”

It’s an enticing idea. An opportunity he doesn’t want to pass up. A chance to talk to her without an audience. 

So, Beck glances at his friends who appear to be in their own little worlds. Talking amongst themselves. Not paying attention to them. He shrugs, “Probably not.” 

* * *

They’re at her house, sitting on her living room floor. Sharing a bottle of wine. And reminiscing about the good old days. Their first date. Their first expression of their love for each other. The first time they broke up. The time she spent the winter holidays with his family in Canada. The time they moved in together. And all other memories he thought he’d forgotten. 

He’s reminded of her intoxicating smell when he walks through the door. Of her soft skin when she asks him to unzip her dress. Of her short but sweet laugh when he recounts the stories of their youth. Of how much he enjoys spending time with her.

Their laughing dies down, and she splits the last of the wine between them. She already said he could spend the night so he wouldn’t have to worry about going home drunk. That’s nice of her especially since her couch looks so comfortable. 

Now they sit in a warm silence with goofy grins on their faces. He misses this. He misses them. But he doesn’t expect it to last forever, so he savors this moment he has with her. 

He observes her as she swirls the dark red liquid in her glass and as her face flushes when they lock eyes. 

She sets the glass down and confesses softly, “I’ve missed you.”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Beck jokes and smiles with his tongue between his teeth. 

“Shut up,” Jade groans in embarrassment, playfully and lightly pushing his shoulder and knocking him back while he laughs uncontrollably. 

When his laughing ceases and he opens his eyes, she’s above him, sternly staring down at him, and his smile quickly fades. 

“No, seriously, I really do miss you,” she repeats soberly and takes a deep breath. “I think that’s why I came to see you. We’ve changed so much, but there’s something about me that I can’t change.”

And they have. A lot. Talking to her is easier. He doesn’t know if it’s the alcohol or the fact that he’s known her for so long, but she seems more open than in the past. And he doesn’t feel like he has to hold back in fear of hurting her feelings anymore. But she can still be harsh, and he can be self-conscious. But they’ve changed. Yet it feels like they never broke up. Like they never stopped talking. Like they never moved on. Like they still love each other. 

“I don’t know,” Jade shrugs and combs her fingers through her hair. “There’s just something I still want.”

“What is it?” Beck asks, hoping it is what he thinks it is. 

“You,” she answers simply. “I love you, Beck, and I don’t think I’ve ever stopped.” 

He freezes. He knows that she’s not joking. That she’s not toying around with his feelings. That she’s completely serious. By her tone. By the look in her eyes. And he believes her because it’s the same for him. 

He sits up, watching her observe his movements. He smiles a little and returns, “I love you.”

And they kiss. Hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's almost over. ://


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is. the last chapter. the epilogue.

He kisses her any chance he gets. On her lips. Her cheek. Her forehead. Her neck. Her shoulder. Her stomach. Anywhere she’ll let him which is just about everywhere. Whenever she’s in the mood. 

And some things about her don’t change like the way she embraces him. The way she snuggles against him while she sleeps. The way she only wears his t-shirts around the house and to bed even when he’s right there next to her. The way she argues with him about the most trivial things. But he loves that about her. He doesn’t want to change that. He loves her entirely. 

But things are different than before. His life doesn’t revolve around her anymore. She’s still a part of it, but he no longer eats, lives, and breathes her. And she doesn’t hold herself back from something she really wants. In a way, they understand each other better. They get along better. They want the best for one another. And everything works out. Better than it did before. 

They cook breakfast together. They take walks together. They adopt a dog. They watch movies together. They take each other on dates. They travel around the world when their schedules allow it. They spend nights awake, talking about nothing. And the next mornings, they wake up in one another’s arms. 

More than anything, he’s happy. She’s happy. They’re happy. And that’s all he wanted.

He turns off the TV and takes his arm off her shoulders. “Come on, get up,” he sighs, nudging her with his elbow. 

“No,” she groans and places his arm around her again. “Let’s just stay here.” 

“We promised Tori we would go,” Beck reminds and soothingly strokes her arm with his thumb. He would rather stay home too, but they haven’t seen their friend in a while, and this is a big deal. Tori is the first one out of all of them to get engaged. 

Resting her head on his shoulder, Jade admits, “But I don’t want to anymore.” 

“We don’t have to stay for long,” he offers, running his fingers through his hair and giving her a gentle squeeze. “She just got engaged.”

“To someone we don’t even like,” she replies harshly, scrunching her face in disgust. “She’s only twenty-nine, and she’s already on her second engagement.”

And well, Tori’s taste in men isn’t the best. Her fiancé isn’t the greatest guy out there, but Tori loves him, so there’s not much Beck can do about it but support it. 

“Yeah, but we should at least be there,” he says, shrugging. “She would do the same for us.” 

“It’s all about Tori. It’s always been about her. You never wanna do what I wanna do,” she complains and lifts her head to cross her arms over her chest. 

But he does. All the time. He goes to events with her when he doesn’t want to. He lets her cut his hair when he’s done filming. He buys Halloween decorations months in advance when he doesn’t even like the holiday that much. But he doesn’t completely dislike doing what she wants. It has its perks sometimes.

“I’m literally going as what you want me to be for Halloween,” he points out, growing frustrated. 

“I had to beg,” she counters angrily. 

“Fine,” he exhales in exasperation and throws his hands up in defense, wanting this to be over, “if you wanna stay here, then stay here, but I’m going.” 

“But I don’t want you to go,” she replies softly and looks at him with those big blue eyes and that small pout. And how can he say no to that face? 

He rolls his eyes and gives in, “Okay, fine, we won’t go, but you’re telling her.” 

She smiles in contentment and wraps her arms around his neck. Climbing into his lap and straddling him, she places a soft kiss on his cheek and then the corner of his mouth. 

“Do you really think this will make me less mad?” Beck asks, still slightly irritated as another kiss is placed on his opposite cheek. 

“Yes,” Jade answers simply and finally kisses his lips, and all of his frustration disappears just like that. She pulls away after a moment, but she’s still close. Her lips graze his when she asks him, “Feel better?” 

And he does. A lot better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's it. i really hope you enjoyed it. thank you so much for reading and for the all the positive feedback and love. ugh, i love you guys so much!! i also made a playlist for this fic but i'm really bad at making playlists, so let me know if you want that.  
> welp, that's enough of me. bye-bye!! :DDDD


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